1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction machine capable of at least two of these functions, that form an image on a sheet of recording media using powdered image formation particles such as toner.
2. Description of the Background Art
At present, with rapid improvement in the performance of data processing systems such as computers, copiers, printers, facsimile machines, or word processors, various types of recording media, such as paper, cloth, plastic, and overhead projector (OHP) film, have been developed for the data processing system to outputs data.
For example, there are recording media covered with a translucent stereoscopic display lens or lens array having surface unevenness. The stereoscopic display lens may be a lenticular lens or fly's eye lens. Stereoscopic display lenses are widely used for commercial and entertainment purposes such as posters, billboards, compact disc (CD) jackets, and trading cards due to their stereoscopic and eye-catching effects.
Lenticular lenses are used in lenticular methods to attain stereoscopic view without a special device for stereoscopic effects. Fly's eye lenses are used in fly's eye methods to cause vertical parallax in addition to lateral parallax.
These methods give visual effects to the image using parallax that is caused because left and right eyes of a person catch different objects. Using these methods, three-dimensional (3D) images or two-dimensional (2D) images that display different images depending on the viewpoint can be produced. In other words, because the positions viewed by right and left eyes are different, right and left eyes view different images. This parallax produces an illusion, making the 3D image stereoscopic. The basis of 2D images is similar to that of 3D images. For example, there are 2D images that show multiple pictures that are switched depending on the viewing angle. Switching such multiple pictures serially can produce animation effects, and the object illustrated in the pictures can look moving.
For example, JP-2005-119826-A proposes producing 3D images by bonding each page of electrophotographic images to a lenticular sheet serving as a stereoscopic display lens substantially consecutively.
Additionally, JP-2009-139708-A proposes producing stereoscopic display lenses by ejecting a transparent resin three-dimensionally on electrophotographic images, making the images stereoscopic.
The first and second approaches described above, however, have several drawbacks. For example, because the image forming material, namely, toner forming electrophotographic images, and the material forming the stereoscopic display lenses are different, adhesion between the image and the stereoscopic display lens is insufficient. Additionally, because the methods for forming images and lenses are significantly different, the apparatus becomes bulkier.
It is to be noted that, although JP-4026401-B proposes a method including forming an uneven transparent toner layer on a color toner image, this method aims at preventing defective images due to blister resulting from expansion of vapor or gases to produce high-gloss images. Thus, it is not for forming stereoscopic display lenses.